The FBI continues to refrain from calling yesterday\'s murderous attack in Los Angeles International Airport an act of terrorism. Israeli officials, however, are of a different opinion, and Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said that Israel\'s operative assumption is that this was a terrorist attack. The Director of El Al also announced that the murderous shooting was of a terrorist nature.
The murderer was identified as Egyptian citizen Muhmad Haditan, 41, who has been living in Los Angeles for about a decade. He carried a hunting knife and two guns. Police found a sign on the front door of his house instructing visitors, \"Read the Koran.\" His landlord said that the murderer was basically quiet, but became incensed once when his upstairs neighbor hung an American flag over his balcony after the Sept. 11th attacks.
The two victims of yesterday\'s shooting were Yaakov Aminov, 46, and El Al ground stewardess Victoria Chen, 25. Aminov, formerly of Or Yehuda in Israel, lived in LA for 13 years. He is survived by eight children, including five from his current wife, Anat, who is pregnant with their sixth. A religious man, he had come to the airport to see a friend off to Israel, and will be buried in Israel. Vicky Chen, who died of her wounds in the hospital, moved with her family from Israel to LA 12 years ago. She is survived by her parents and two siblings.
The El Al flight preparing for departure at the time of the attack was delayed for about 14 hours, but finally set off for Toronto and Tel Aviv at 2 AM Los Angeles time. Although El Al Israel Airlines does not fly on the Sabbath, Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said that after the trauma the passengers endured yesterday, it \"would not be humane\" not to allow them to return home as fast as possible. MK Sha\'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) reacted, \"On the contrary, after the miracle these passengers experienced, Israel\'s national airline should not violate the Sabbath by flying.\" He called upon Prime Minister Sharon to instruct El Al to have the plane stop in Europe until after the Sabbath. It was reported that hotel arrangements had been made for passengers who do not wish to violate the Sabbath.
The murderer was identified as Egyptian citizen Muhmad Haditan, 41, who has been living in Los Angeles for about a decade. He carried a hunting knife and two guns. Police found a sign on the front door of his house instructing visitors, \"Read the Koran.\" His landlord said that the murderer was basically quiet, but became incensed once when his upstairs neighbor hung an American flag over his balcony after the Sept. 11th attacks.
The two victims of yesterday\'s shooting were Yaakov Aminov, 46, and El Al ground stewardess Victoria Chen, 25. Aminov, formerly of Or Yehuda in Israel, lived in LA for 13 years. He is survived by eight children, including five from his current wife, Anat, who is pregnant with their sixth. A religious man, he had come to the airport to see a friend off to Israel, and will be buried in Israel. Vicky Chen, who died of her wounds in the hospital, moved with her family from Israel to LA 12 years ago. She is survived by her parents and two siblings.
The El Al flight preparing for departure at the time of the attack was delayed for about 14 hours, but finally set off for Toronto and Tel Aviv at 2 AM Los Angeles time. Although El Al Israel Airlines does not fly on the Sabbath, Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said that after the trauma the passengers endured yesterday, it \"would not be humane\" not to allow them to return home as fast as possible. MK Sha\'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) reacted, \"On the contrary, after the miracle these passengers experienced, Israel\'s national airline should not violate the Sabbath by flying.\" He called upon Prime Minister Sharon to instruct El Al to have the plane stop in Europe until after the Sabbath. It was reported that hotel arrangements had been made for passengers who do not wish to violate the Sabbath.